Oil atomizing burner



Nov. 2, 1965 v c. D. TINKER 3,215,187

OIL ATOMIZING BURNER Filed June 20, 1962 INVENTOR. CHARLES DEAN TINKER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,215,187 OIL AT OMIZING BURNER Charles Dean Tinker, Rte. 1, Granville, Ohio Filed June 20, 1962, Ser. No. 203,950 3 Claims. (Cl. 158-76) This in a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 47,838, filed August 5, 1960, and now Patent No. 3,102,720. Some features of my ceramic burner tube are also disclosed in my copending application 181,515 filed March 21, 1962.

The inventions disclosed and claimed in this application relate to burners for furnaces and particularly to an oil atomizing burner for use in a furnace.

My invention is useful in many types of furnaces including those useful in the heat treating of ceramic wear and refractory material, metals, etc. My inventions are intended to improve the action and efficiency of such furnaces by providing a burner having high efliciency and yielding low smoke and haze, and having high flame retention.

Objects One of the objects of my invention therefore is the provision of a new and improved oil atomizer and oil burner.

A further object of my invention is the provision of an atomizer and burner for oil which burns the gas produced from the oil substantially without smoke or haze.

A further object of my invention is to provide a new and improved flame retention burner.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a combination of an improved ceramic burner tube and an improved atomizer.

Further objects and features of my invention will be apparent from the following specification and claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view partially in elevation and partially in section showing an embodiment of an atomizer and burner constructed according to my invention in the assembled form;

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation of a brass casting forming a portion of the atomizer assembly of the burner of FIG. 1 (the scale of the drawing of FIG. 2 being larger than that of FIG. 1 and the scale of the drawings of FIGS. 3 to 10 inclusive corresponding to the scale of FIG. 2);

FIG. 3 is a view in elevation of a brass insert which in the assembly of-the atomizer assembly is inserted in the casting of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in elevation of a screen which is also inserted in the brass casting of FIG. 2 in the assembly of the atomizer assembly;

FIG. 5 is a view in elevation of a plug which in the assembly of the atomizer assembly is inserted in the end of the casting of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a View in elevation having parts broken away and showing a metal pipe which is connected to the casting of FIG. 2 and forms another part of the atomizer assembly;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are views in elevation with parts broken away and showing a metal pipe of smaller diameter than the pipe shown in FIG. 6 which in the atomizer assembly extends through the pipe of FIG. 6 and is threaded into the brass casting of FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is a view in section of an insert which has a portion inserted in the end of the pipe shown in FIG. 7 and itself is entirely positioned within the corresponding end of the pipe shown in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 10 is a view in section of a positioning washer "ice which is positioned within the outermost end of the pipe shown in FIG. 6.

Detailed description Referring still to the drawings for more detail of the embodiment of my invention illustrated, it may be seen that I have shown in FIG. 1 a cylindrical ceramic member 11 having an annular shoulder 12 and being threaded externally at 13 so as to receive the burner tip 14. The tip 14 is internally threaded as at 15 to cooperate with the threads 13. It is formed with an outer tubular portion 16 and an inner truncated tubular portion 17 but the inner portion 17 is made thinner so that while the outer diameter of the portion 16 corresponds to the outer diameter of the portion 17, the internal diameter of the portion 17 is greater than the internal diameter of the internal diameter of the portion 16. Moreover, the internal diameter of the portion 17 corresponds substantially to the external diameter of the other end of the member 11. A bevelled shoulder 18 is thus formed intermediate the ends of the tip 14. Clamped between the bevelled shoulder 18 of the burner tip 14 and the outer end of the cylindrical ceramic member 11 is a circular truncated cone baffle 19. The baffle 19 is formed with a central orifice 21 and with a plurality of inclined pilot holes such as the holes 22 and 23. These retain an outer flame. The burner thus provides a double cone flame.

At the rear of the refractory cylindrical ceramic member 11, it is externally threaded as at 24 and onto the threads 24, there is secured a T 25 having a combustion air inlet 26 and having threads 27 by which it is secured to the threads 24. Combustion air is supplied at inlet 26 at a pressure of from 2 to -12 ounces. The T is also threaded at its rearward end as at 28 and into the threads 28 there is inserted a drilled pipe plug 29 having a central drill for purposes later to be described.

I provide an atomizer assembly which includes a brass casting 31 shown most clearly in FIG. 2 formed with a forward drilled and tapped opening 32 and a rearward drilled and tapped opening 33. In the center the casting 31 is provided with a partition 34 which is drilled and tapped as at 35. The casting is provided with an oil inlet 36 and with an inlet for atomizing air 37. Oil is supplied to the inlet 36 at a pressure of about 15 pounds and high pressure air is supplied at 37 at a pressure of about 4 pounds per square inch. I provide a brass insert 41 formed with various annular ledges or flanges such as 42, 43, 44 and 45. This insert is drilled longitudinally as at 46 and laterally as at 47. In the assembly of the atomizer the insert 41 is positioned within the rear end of the unit 31. Surrounding the insert 41, abutting against the ledge 42, and resting on the ledges 43, 44 and is a screen 48. The screen 48 and the insert 41 are held within the rear end of the unit 31 in fluid tight contact with the partition 34 by means of a plug 49 which is screwed into the threads 33 of the unit 31.

The plug 49 holds the insert 41 in fluid tight engagement with the partition 34. No oil may therefore become mixed with the atomizing air entering at 37 while the oil and air are in the casting 31. All of the oil must pass through the screen 48, then through bores 47 and finally forward through the bore 46 and the pipe 51. The rearward extension of the insert 41 is threaded into the pocket 50 of the plug 49 but the front of the plug 49 holds the screen 48 in exactly the desired position.

The atomizer assembly also comprises (in addition to the unit 31 and the parts assembled therein), an oil pipe 51 (threaded at its rearward end as at 52) and an atomizing air pipe 53 (threaded at its rearward end at 54), and a positioning or jamb nut 55 is threaded onto the threads '54. The oil pipe 51 is secured by means of the threads 52 into the threads 35in the partition 34 of the unit 31. The air pipe 53 is secured by means of the threads 54 into the threads 32 of the front end of the unit 31. The pipe 51 extends forwardly into the pipe 53 and terminates at its forward end adjacent the forward endof the pipe 53. The pipe 53 extends through the central opening in the pipe plug 29 and is held in position within the member 11 by means of a set screw 56, so that the front end thereof is at the proper distance from the baffle 19.

I also provide in the atomizer assembly an atomizer fitting 61 which has a rearward threaded extension 62 screwed into threads 63'formed in the forward end of the pipe 51. The fitting 61 is positioned, when assembled, wholly. in the forward end of the pipe 53. A washer 65 is positioned in the extreme forward end 64 of the pipe 53 and the pipe 53 is peened to hold the washer 65 in position and thus to hold the fitting 61 and the pipe 51 in position at its forward end. The fitting 61 is provided with a steel breaker wire 66 extending diametrically across and secured therein. This breaks up the oil into fine particles and begins its atomization. The fitting is also provided with a plurality of off center and/ or inclined bores such as 67 and 68 by which the atomizing air enters the central pocket 69 of the fitting. As later more fully explained this imparts a whirling motion to the atomizing air which increases the breaking up of the oil into fine particles and its complete atomization.

The connections (1) between the fitting 61 and the forward end 63 of pipe 51, (2) the rear end 52 of the pipe 51 and the casting 31 at 34, (3) the peened forward end 64 of the pipe 53 and the rear end 54 of the pipe 53 as controlled by the jamb nut 55 with forward end 32 of the casting is such that the washer 65 and the forward end of fitting 61 form a fluid tight seal with the forward end 64 of the pipe 53. The atomizing air therefore is all forced through the bores 67 and 68 at high pressure into a pocket 69 formed in the fitting 61.

I have found that it is very important that the end 64 of the atomizer unit of the atomizer assembly be positioned at a certain distance relative to the baffle 19. As stated above this is maintained-by the set screw 56. Thus I have found that the distance between the end 64 of the pipe 53 and the baffle 19 should be substantially the same as the internal diameter of the cylindrical ceramic member 11. I have found that if this distance is exceeded by 25% the results are appreciably worse and if the distance is less than 75% of the diameter the etficiency of the burner is decreased to a very large extent. With the end of the pipe 53 positioned approximately the same distance from the baffle 19 as the diameter of the member 11, the burner is not only very eflicient but also burns without appreciable smoke or haze.

It is also important in connection with the operation of the atomizer that the tube surrounding the atomizer be ceramic and that there be a ceramic baflle provided ahead of the end of the atomizer. These ceramic elements (i.e. the tip, the tube and the baffie) become white hot in the burning and this apparently increases the efliciency tremendously in the conversion of the oil to a gas which burns readily. I believe that by the combination of the ceramic members and my atomizer I obtain a cracking of the oil. I have tried to operate my atomizer and burner using metal tubes instead of ceramic tubes and have found that the oil would not burn satisfactorily therein.

Operation The operation is as follows:

Oil is introduced under high pressure at 36. Atomizing air under high pressure is introduced at high pressure at 37. The oil flows through the screen 48, the bores 47 and 46, through the interior of the pipe 51 to and into the fitting 61. The atomizing air flows inside of the pipe 53 around the pipe 51 to the fitting 61. There it passes into the interior of the pocket 69. The oil coming through the pipe 51 also passes into the pocket 69 (through the central longitudinal bore at the rear of the fitting 61) and there is first broken by the breaker wire 66 and then further atomized by the whirling high pressure air coming through the bores 67, 68, etc. The atomized oil then passes through the washer 65 and is picked up by combustion air entering at 26 and passing forward through the member 11 around the pipe 53. This mixture passes through the openings 21, 22, 23, etc. in the bafile 19 and is burned ahead of the baffie 19. Only a very small portion of the flame extends rearward of the baffle 19.

It is to be understood that the above described embodiments of my invention are for the purpose of illustration only and various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope and the invention.

I claim:

1. An oil atomizer burner unit comprising in combination an oil atomizer unit having a rear inlet end and a front outlet end;

a ceramic cylinder having a rear inlet end and a front outlet end, having a full circular opening in its rear inlet end and a full circular opening in the front outlet end, having the exterior surface of the front end threaded, and having the outlet end of the atomizer extending into and surrounded by the rear inlet end of said ceramic cylinder;

a cylindrical ceramic tip having a front end and a rear end, having the rear end interiorly threaded to fit the exterior threads on the front end of the ceramic cylinder, and having said rear end secured by said interior threads on the exterior threads of the front end of said ceramic cylinder;

an annular ceramic baffie securedwithin said tip and clamped between said tip and the front end of said ceramic cylinder in front of the forward outlet end of the atomizer unit and wherein the distance between said baffle and said front outlet end of the atomizer unit is substantially the same as the internal diameter of said ceramic cylinder; and

means to introduce combustion air into the ceramic cylinder around the oil atomizer unit and to cause such combustion air to flow forward around the outlet end of the atomizer unit and thence forward with the atomized oil to and through said ceramic baflle.

2. The burner unit according to claim 1 wherein the distance between said baffle and said front outlet end of the atomizer unit is between about and of the internal diameter of said ceramic cylinder.

3. The burner unit according to claim 1 wherein the annular ceramic b-affle is provided with a central axial orifice and a plurality of non-axial pilot holes.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 429,205 6/90 Wilder 158-77 707,510 8/02 Halley 158-77 982,655 1/11 Albee 239-403 1,063,352 6/13 Jacobs 158-73 1,111,520 9/14 Baird et a1. 158-76 1,172,755 2/16 Wilson 158-73 1,393,749 10/21 Carstens 158-73 1,401,880 12/21 Connelly 239-405 1,593,186 7/26 McKean 2.39-405 1,612,457 12/26 Marron 158-76 2,254,123 8/41 Soaper 158-73 2,393,887 1/46 Clements 158-1 16 X 3,092,332 6/ 63 Bickel et a1 239-405 FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner.

MEYER PERLIN, JAMES W. WESTHAVER,

Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,215,187 November 2, 1965 Charles Dean Tinker It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 7, for "in a continuation" read 1s a continuation column 2, line 19, for "other" read outer Signed and sealed this 19th day of July 1966.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. AN OIL ATOMIZER BURNER UNIT COMPRISING IN COMBINATION AN OIL ATOMIZER UNIT HAVING A REAR INLET END AND A FRONT OUTLET END; A CARAMIC CYLINDER HAIVING A REAR INLET END AND A FRONT OUTLET END, HAVING A FULL CIRCULAR OPENING IN ITS REAR INLET END AND A FULL CIRCULAR OPENING IN THE FRONT OUTLET END, HAVING THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF THE FRONT END THREADED, AND HAVING THE OUTLET END OF THE ATOMIZER EXTENDING INTO AND SURROUNDED BY THE REAR INLET END OF SAID CERAMIC CYLINDER; A CYLINDRICAL CERAMIC TIP HAVING A FRONT END AND A REAR END, HAVING THE REAR END INTERIORLY THREADED TO FIT THE EXTERIOR THREADS ON THE FRONT END OF THE CEARMIC CYLINDER, AND HAVING SAID REAR END SECURED BY SAID INTERIOR THREADS ON THE EXTERIOR THREADS OF THE FRONT END OF SAID CERAMIC CYLINDER; AN ANNULAR CERAMIC BAFFLE SECURED WITIN SAID TIP AND CLAMPED BETWEEN SAID TIP AND THE FRONT END OF SAID CERAMIC CYLINDER IN FRONT OF THE FORWARD OUTLET END OF THE ATOMIZER UNIT AND WHEREIN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID BAFFLE AND SAID FRONT OUTLET END OF THE ATOMIZER UNIT IS SUBSTANMTIALLY THE SAME AS THE INTERNAL DIAMETER OF SAID CERAMIC CYLINDER; AND MEANS TO INTRODUCE COMBUSTION AIR INTO THE CERAMIC CYLINDER AROUND THE OIL ATOMIZER UNIT AND THE CAUSE SUCH COMBUSTION AIR TO FLOW FORWARD AROUND THE OUTLET END OF THE ATOMIZER UNIT AND THENCE FORWARD WITH THE ATOMIZED OIL TO AND THROUGH SAID CERAMIC BAFFLE. 